Make a Moodboard From Your Own Photos

A moodboard can help you decide on the light, color, shapes, or setting for a project. Start with a specific question, such as "What should this scene feel like at dusk?"

Choose a few references

Open a folder in your refern library and pick images that help answer your question. You might choose one for its lighting, another for its palette, and a third for its composition.

If you have not added your images yet, follow the workspace setup guide. Normal indexing reads existing files in place; explicit imports and file actions can create or change files.

Add the images to a canvas

Use Add to canvas from the library selection controls to place your selected references on a board. You can also use the canvas asset panel to find images in your library and add them while you work.

Start with a small set so the board has a clear focus. More images are useful only when they add something to the direction you are exploring.

Arrange and annotate

Move and resize the images to compare them. Make the main reference larger, and place supporting examples nearby. Group related material if the board starts to get busy.

Add short text notes to explain what you want to use: "warm shadows," "low viewpoint," or "rough stone." A note gives you a reason to keep a reference and makes it easier to return to the idea later.

These are composition suggestions, not required steps. A loose collection can be enough for an early sketch; a client presentation may need a tighter selection.

Return to the board as you work

Remove references that no longer fit and add new ones when a question comes up. Keep your source images available on disk and include both media and workspace data in your backups.

If your next step is drawing practice, you can also set up a timed session with your own images.